Ice tray grid



C. R. CARNEY July 26, 1949.

ICE TRAY GRID Filed Oct. 17, 1 945 INVENTOR.

CLIFFORD R. CARNEY ATTOR NEY 5 v Patented July 26,1949

ICE TRAY GRID Cliiford R. Carney, Miami, Fla., assignor to Cellon Corporation, Miami, Fla., a corporation of Florida Application October 17, 1945, Serial No. 622,831

The present invention relates to ice tray grids and more particularly toice tray grids which are removable from an ice tray, and which may be readily operated to secure the release of the ice cubes therefrom.

The problem of freeing ice cubes from a tray in which they are frozen in a conventional type of mechanical refrigerator is one which has been long present in this art. The attempts to solve the problem have generally taken one of two directions. First, the provision of a grid formed of a resilient material, such for example as rubber or the like, which may be distorted to break the bond between the grid and the cubes, and thus to free the cubes from the grid. Second, the provision of a grid having rigid partitioning members, certain of which are movable relative to the others for the purpose of breaking the adhesion between the ice cubes and the rigid elemerits of the grid construction.

In both general forms of the prior grids the grid m'echanism and the ice when frozen presents a rigid mass in which the grid, whether resiliently flexible or whether mechanically united for movement of one rigid section relative to the other is held immobile in the ice block. In both types of grids there is a mechanical connection which imparts structural rigidity to the grid memberv and'this rigidity is further increased when the ice is frozen therein. In the case of the resilient'types of grids, the resiliency of the material is much impaired and frequently lost at the 'low temperatures necessary for the freezing of the ice. The adhesion of the ice to the various portions of the rigid grid members in the type utilizing rigid members which aremovable relative to one another, renders these grids immobile to the extentthat they are for all practical purposes a rigid grid structure at the beginning of the ice removing operation. In order to satisfactorily break such grids from the ice cubes, it is necessary to apply a force thereto'of suflicient magnitude to move one of the grid membersrelative to the other grid members, and having thus initiated the ice-freeing movement, to then fol- Claims. (Cl. 62-1085) 2 the longitudinal members to other parts of th frozen grid and ice block and'provides for the release of the ice cubes from the grid.

In many previously suggested types of ice tray grid constructions a'force is applied on the transverse grid members, usually by successive applications thereto, to efiect a pivoting movement of the grid member and its bodily'movement, either in a horizontal or a longitudinal plane relative to the ice tray. In order to effect such movement, suificient force must be exerted on the transverse member to break the adhered ice from relatively large surface areas and the leverage required for this purpose is such that a substantial amount of bending and frequent breakage of the grid members results. In such grids, both with the attached handle and with the separate handle, frequent breakage of the grid also results in the event that there is an improper placement of the grid in the pan prior to the freezing of the ice therein, or in the event that the transverse grld members may not have fallen into proper positions in the pan. In the case of the grids of the detached handle type, the user'may start the ice breaking movement of the transverse grid at a point other than the transverse grid next adjacent the shaped end of the pan, and this places extra strains upon the grid, resulting in bending and breakage of the transverse grid members.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an ice tray grid having a plurality of segmental transverse grid members united by a horizontally expansible longitudinal member in which the transverse grid members are formed in segments which are movable relative to each other in a vertical plane to efiect 'a horizontal expansion of the longitudinal member, and a shearing and ice breaking movement of the grid members, thus to free the grid from the frozen'ice block and to free the block from the pan.

A further object 'of the present invention is to provide an ice tray grid formed of a plurality of separate rigid elements so united in the as sembled structure that each element is relatively movable with respect to the other elements of the grid and in which relative movement of the parts may be initiated by a downwardly directed force applied to one side of any of the transverse members to effect pivotal movement of the segments thereof in vertical planes.

A further object of the present invention'is to provide an ice tray grid formed of a plurality of relatively movable rigid members which may by the continued application of a force on the handle 24, a force is exerted simultaneously through the upper slot 20 on the member M to effect its movement in the direction of the directional arrow 31, and a force is exerted through the lower slot 20a on the lower member l5 to assist in effecting its movement in the direction indicated by the directional arrow 34.

When the grid and pan are in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the cake of ice is frozen therein, only a slight amount of movement is required to initiate the breaking action. It is to be understood that the movement of the parts as shown in mg. 4 is an extreme movement which occurs after the grid and pan has been broken from the ice block. The ice block is sheared from the various parts of the grid by the movements above indicated.

It is to be noted that the operation as above described and as shown in the drawings herein utilizes a detachable handle which may be used selectively on any one of the transverse grid members to efiect the movement thereof and the breaking of the grid and pan from the ice block as above described. However, it is to be understood that instead of a separate handle such as the handle 24, any other suitable type of operating member well known to those skilled in this art may be used to effect this movement of the grid members. It is also to be understood that while in the construction herein shown it is intended that a separate application of force shall be applied to the transverse members longitudinally of the grid, the parts of the longitudinal member may be so made that the will have sufficient strength properties to act in transferring the shearing forces from one transverse grid member to a successive transverse grid member. Thus in addition to providing merely a longitudinal separator partition, the longitudinal member thus also may be utilized as apart of a linkage system for effecting movement of all parts of the grid member.

The assembly of the separate elements to form the grid structure herein shown is economically achieved on a mass production basis by first stamping each of the four parts separately and treating the parts as may be desired to provide the surface protection thereof. ..In a typical instance the members Ill, II, M, and I5 will be stamped separatel from aluminum sheet stock and thereafter anodized and waxed or otherwise treated to render them impervious to moisture. The parts thus treated are much simpler to process is the case Whenthe parts are in an assembled condition. 7 3

In assembling the grid, the lower longitudinal member I5 is placed in a suitable holding fixture and the transverse cross-members ill and -H are placed in the slots in the member l5, so as to provide for the mated dove-tail joints previously described. When this has been done, the top longitudinal member M is dropped into place and the ends of the members l4 and 55 are secured together in any desired manner, such as the rivet l6 and I1. It will be seen that this method of assembly lends itself to economical large scale mass production of the grid element, and will effect substantial economies in the manufacture and assembly thereof.

' Since all movement of the movable transverse members occurs chiefly in a vertical plane, it will be readily apparent that the force requiredto effect movement of the grid when frozen in an ice block'is much less than would benecessary if it were desired to move the entire transverse grid member bodily in a direction longitudinally of the pan to effect the movement and breaking of'the ice cubes from the pan. The grid of the present invention provides for a direct application of a mechanical force on the edges and the bottom of the pan simultaneously with the movement of the transverse members in a vertical plane so as to separate the block into cubes and to free the cubes from the pan in a single operation. Due to the relatively short levers which are required in the present construction, and'the direct mechanical application of force thereto, it will be seen that the conditions responsible for much of the distortion and breaking of the parts experienced in conventional types of grid constructions are eliminated.

In constructing a grid of the present invention, I- prefer to usea heat conducting material, such'for example as sheet aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, or the like, thesurfaces of which have been treated to render them non-adherent to water. One satisfactory method of accomplishing this is to subject the parts to treatment in an anodizing bath and thereafter to wax the anodized surfaces. Another satisfactory method is; to polish the surfaces and thereafter to treat the polished surfaces with a water-proofing ma.- terial such for example as a finish containing a water impermeable plastic substance in which silicon has been substituted for carbon in the molecule and which-are commercially known as .Silicone resins, which are now available commercially under this name.

Fromthe foregoing it will be understood that a grid construction embodying the present invention ma be readily assembled from a plurality-of parts, each of which may be separately fabricated. The parts are loosely held in their assembled relation so as to drop into position and occupy a predetermined position in the ice pan. I

The. present application is related to my patents numbered 2,477,282, 2,477,283, 2,477,284,

, which were oopending with this application and which relate to ice tray grid constructions.

.I claim;

1. An icetray grid comprising a longitudinal partition and a plurality of transverse partitions secured thereto, each of said transverse partitions comprising a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in assembled positions in said longitudinal partition for relative pivotal movement chiefly in a vertical plane, each of therigid members forming each transverse partition having a cut-away portion adapted to receive the end of a force applying member to move one of such rigid members pivotally about an axis near said longitudinal partition, one of said rigid member-s pivoting downwardly in a vertical plane and the other of said rigid members pivoting upwardly in a vertical plane by a single downward movement of the handle of the force applying member;

2. An ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending separate members connected at their ends to permit flexing of said members in opposite directions, and a plurality of transverse partitions secured thereto, each of said transverse partitions comprising a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in assembled position in saidlongitudinal position for relative pivotal movement chiefly in vertical planes and in opposite directions about a common axis located near said longitudinal partition, each of the rigid members forming each transverse partition having a cut-away portion adapted to receive the end of a force applying lever to efiect pivotal movement of one of said rigid members downwardly in a vertical plane and to effect pivotal movement of the other of said rigid members upwardly in a vertical plane by a single downward movement of the handle of a force applying lever.

3. An ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition slotted at predetermined intervals in its length, a plurality of transverse partitions mounted in said slots, each of said transverse partitions comprising a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in said slots in assembled position to permit relative movement of said rigid members chiefly in vertical planes, each of the rigid members forming each transverse partition having a cut-away portion adapted to receive the end of a force applying member to move one of said rigid members pivotally about an axis near said longitudinal partition, one of said rigid members pivoting downwardly in a vertical plane and the other of said rigid members pivoting upwardly in a vertical plane by a single downward movement of the handle of a force applying lever.

4. An ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition formed of a plurality of longitudinally extending members connected at their ends to permit flexing of said members in opposite directions, and having a plurality of aligned slots spaced longitudinally thereof, a plurality of transverse partitionsmounted in said slots, each of said transverse partitions comprising a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in said slots in assembled position to permit relative pivotal movement of said rigid members chiefly in vertical planes, each of the rigid members forming each transverse partition having a cut-away portion adapted to receive the end of a force applying lever to move one of said rigid members pivotally in a downward direction in a vertical plane and the other of said rigid members pivotally in an upward direction in a vertical plane by a single downward movement of the handle portion of a force applying lever.

5. The combination of an ice tray and an ice tray grid comprising a horizontally expansible longitudinal partition member extending longitudinally of the tray, and a plurality of segmental transverse partitions secured to said longitudinal member for pivotal movement relative to each other in vertical planes and about an axis located near said longitudinal member, the ends of the segments of each of said transverse partitions contacting the adjacent side walls of the ice tray when frozen in an ice block in said tray, whereby upon movement of said segments a force is exerted on the side walls of said tray to effect an ice-freeing movement thereof simultaneously with the movement of said transverse partitions to efiect a freeing of the ice cubes therefrom.

6, The combination of an ice tray and an ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition formed of a plurality of separate members connected at their ends and slotted at predetermined intervals in their lengths and extending longitudinally of the tray, and a plurality of transverse partitions secured in said slots, said transverse partitionseach comprising a plural ity of separate rigidmembers having overlying end portions mounted in said slots to permit relative pivotal movement of said separate rigid members in opposite directions chiefly in vertical planes and about an axis located near said longitudinal partition, the other ends of said separate rigid members being adapted to contact the side wall portions of the said ice tray when frozen in an ice block in said tray whereby upon relative pivotal movement of said separate rigid members a force is exerted on the side walls of said tray to effect an ice-freeing movement thereof at the same time that the said separate rigid members are moved relative to each other to effect the ice-freeing movement thereof.

7. The combination of an ice tray and an ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending members connected at their ends to permit bowing of said members in opposite directions adjacent their mid-portions, each of said connected members having a plurality of aligned slots spaced longitudinally thereof, a transverse partition secured in each of said slots and each comprising a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in assembled positions in said slots in said longitudinal members for relative movement chiefly in vertical planes, and having their opposite ends arranged for contact with the side walls of the ice tray when frozen in an ice block in said tray whereby upon vertical movement of said rigid members, a force is exerted on the side walls of said tray to efiect an ice-freeing movement thereof.

8. The combination of an ice tray and an ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition extending longitudinally of the tray and a plurality of transverse partitions secured thereto, each of said transverse partitions comprising a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in assembled positions in said longitudinal partition for relative pivotal movement chiefly in vertical planes, and having a cut away portion therein to receive the end of a force applying lever tomove one of said rigid members pivotally in a downward direction in a vertical plane and the other of said rigid members pivotally in an upward direction in a vertical plane by a single downward movement of the handle of a force applying lever, the outlying ends of said rigid members being arranged for contacting the adjacent side walls of the ice tray when frozen in an ice block in said tray whereby upon movement of said rigid members in vertical planes a force is exerted on the side walls of said tray to efiect an ice freeing movement thereof at the same time that the said rigid members are moved to effect ice-freeing movement thereof.

9. The combination of an ice tray and an ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition ex tending longitudinally of the tray and a plurality of transverse partitions secured thereto, each of said transverse partitions comprisin a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in assembled positions in said longitudinal partition for relative pivotal movement chiefly in vertical planes each rigid member of each transverse partition having a cut away portion therein to receive the end of a force applying lever to move one of said rigid members pivotally in a downward direction in a vertical plane and the other of said rigid members pivotally in an upward direction in a vertical plane by a single downward movement of the handle portion of'a force applying lever, the outlying ends of said rigid members being arranged for contacting the adjacent side walls of the ice tray when frozen in an ice block in said tray whereby upon movement of said rigid members in vertical planes a force is exerted on the side walls of said tray to efiect an ice freeing movement thereof at the same time that the said rigid members are moved to effect ice-freeing movement thereof, one of said rigid members having a cut-away portion on the bottom edge adjacent the outlying end thereof to provide a turning point about which said rigid member may pivot in a vertical plane upon the application of a downwardly directed force thereto.

10. A combination of an ice tray and an ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition extending longitudinally of the tray and a plurality of transverse partitions secured thereto, each of said transverse partitions comprising a plurality of rigid members having overlying end portions held in assembled positions in said longitudinal partition for relative pivotal movement chiefly in vertical plane, each rigid member of each transverse partition having a cut away portion therein to receive the end of a force applying lever to move one of said rigid members pivotally in a downward direction in a vertical plane and the other of said rigid members pivotally in an upward direction in a vertical plane by a single downward movement of the handle portion of a force applying lever, the outlying ends of said rigid members being arranged for contacting the adjacent side walls of the ice tray when frozen in an ice block in said tray whereby upon movement of said rigid members in vertical planes a force is exerted on the side walls of said tray to efifect an ice freeing movement thereof at the same time that the said rigid members are moved to effect ice-freeing movement thereof, and means for effecting a rocking movement of at least one of said rigid members on the bottom of the tray and comprising a cut away portion on the bottom edge of said rigid member adjacent the end thereof to provide a rocking point about which said rigid member may pivot in a vertical plane upon the application of a downwardly directed force thereto.

CLIFFORD R. CARNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

